


The New Year

by Malvacerra



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Bisexual Prompto Argentum (but he doesn't know it yet), Fluff, Gay Noctis Lucis Caelum, M/M, Pining, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Underage Drinking, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-11 21:17:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15324540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malvacerra/pseuds/Malvacerra
Summary: In their last year of high school, Noctis invites Prompto over to his apartment to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks, with a surprise up his sleeve. When the clock strikes midnight, Prompto has a surprise for him as well.Takes place within the same universe asPride and Joy, two and a half years before its events. Events in this story are referenced in Chapter 19, "Truth."





	The New Year

**Author's Note:**

> I felt like writing out some of the history to which my characters refer in my long work in progress, _Pride and Joy_ , but which I don't necessarily want to cover in detail in the current narrative. This is an event referenced by Prompto in like one sentence in that fic and I figured it would be fun to write. I think this fic stands on its own just fine, but I imagine one would get way more out of it if one were to read _Pride_ as well.

Noctis placed his hands on his hips and puffed, shaking his head at the rickety table. His breath clouded out into the frigid December night before dissipating on a passing breeze.

“I thought this building was new,” he muttered. Noctis glanced around the apartment tower’s roof for another table. “And, of course, this is the only one the caretaker left out.”

He sighed and picked up the table, balancing the bucket of ice and beer atop it carefully as he walked to the edge of the roof. At the eastern edge of the deck, he set the table down and squatted beside it, jamming his finger into the offending leg.

 _Maybe I could find a piece of cardboard or something_ , he thought. At the vibration in his pocket, he sprang up and raised his phone to his ear.

“Hey,” he said.

“Heyas. I just turned onto your street.”

Noctis smiled down at the city lights. “You’re a little early.”

“Yeah,” Prompto said. “We finished our game early. They said they didn’t mind if I headed out already.”

“What board game did you play?” Noctis said. His dress shoes clicked along the roof tiles as he strode to the access door.

“ _Cartel_ ,” Prompto replied. “Mom crushed us with her beach resorts. What’s that noise? Are you outside already?”

“Uh, not yet,” Noctis said, pulling the door shut behind him and starting down the stairs. “Still walking down.”

“Alright. I’m in front of the building now.”

“Yup, see you soon,” Noctis said, sliding his phone back into the pocket of his slacks as the line went silent. He opened the door to the twenty-fifth floor and walked down the hallway to the elevator.

“Crap,” he said, once he’d pushed the call button. _Still have to fix that stupid table_.

Once inside the elevator, he wavered between his floor and the lobby, eventually deciding on the latter.

 _Well, it’s not going to fall over_ , he thought. _Hopefully_.

At the seventeenth floor, the doors slid open. Noctis glanced up as a man in a tuxedo and a woman in a blue cocktail dress stepped in, settling against the opposite wall as the elevator began moving again. He angled his head to watch them in the mirror.

“Yeah,” the woman said, reaching her hand up to smooth the fabric of the man’s shoulder. “I told her we’re on our way.”

The man leaned down and planted a brief kiss on her lips. Noctis glanced back and forth between their closed eyes, then down to their mouths, his gaze transfixed. He blinked, realizing that the kiss had ended and that the man was watching him. Noctis blushed and looked down at his shoes, thrusting his hands into the pockets of his coat.

The bell rang for the lobby. Noctis waited for the couple to walk out, then slowly left the elevator. He strolled past the front desk and glanced around for Prompto.

Noctis felt the jab of a finger at his shoulder. “Dude.”

“Oh,” Noctis said, turning around to Prompto. “I didn’t see you.”

“I was just using the bathroom.” Prompto looked him up and down. “You’re dressed pretty fancy.”

“What, this?” Noctis placed his hand on his hip and tilted his head to the side. “It’s New Year’s Eve, isn’t it? Why not dress up a little?”

Prompto pursed his lips. “I thought we were just having some beers together and watching the fireworks. You haven’t invited any girls over or something without telling me, have you?”

“No,” Noctis said. He started walking to the elevator, waving his keycard in front of the console as he approached it. “I tried, but they all backed out when they heard you’d be there.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Prompto said, slapping Noctis’s rear. Noctis started and looked back at him. “Go on, keep making fun. Just ‘cause I’m not a prince who has ladies lining up around the block for him.”

“Really?” Noctis craned his neck around Prompto to look through the glass doors of the lobby. “What gives you the right to cut to the front of the queue, then?”

Prompto furrowed his brow. “Uh, because we’re not dating? Because I’m straight?”

“Idiot,” Noctis said, shoving him back as the elevator doors swung open. “Don’t just drop the joke like that.”

“I _was_ joking, silly,” Prompto said, following him into the elevator. “Didn’t you know we’ve been dating all this time? It’s all over the gossip mags.”

“Really?” Noctis’s eyes widened. “Ignis didn’t tell me—”

“No!” Prompto pushed the button for Noctis’s floor and bent forward with laughter as the doors closed. “Dude, you’re so gullible sometimes. How are you the top of our class?”

“Maybe because there’s no course on how to not get taken advantage of by your best friend,” Noctis said. He reached across Prompto to push the button for the twenty-fifth floor.

“What?” Prompto turned to look at the panel, then back at Noctis. “Why are we going up there? Is someone having a party? I’m not wearing anything nice.”

“You look alright,” Noctis said, his eyes traveling down Prompto’s body. “That’s the coat I got you for Wintersend last year, right?”

“Yup.” Prompto rubbed his hands along the coat’s lapels and moved his shoulders around. “And the scarf you got me this year.”

“I was just going to mention that.” The doors opened at Noctis’s floor; he glanced at the hallway before turning his gaze back to Prompto. “Looks good. You look good in purple.”

Prompto shrugged. “So, whose place are we going to? I didn’t think you knew many other people in your building.”

“It’s—not anyone’s place. It’s a surprise.”

“Oh boy.” Prompto rubbed his hands together and grinned. “I love surprises.”

“I just wish it weren’t so cold,” Noctis said. “I hate winter.”

The elevator shuddered to a stop. Noctis began walking to the stairwell door, Prompto trailing close behind.

“Oh no,” Prompto said, once Noctis started up the stairs. Noctis turned and looked down at him. “We’re not going to the roof, are we? You know I hate heights. And it’ll be cold.”

“Stop whining so much,” Noctis said, grabbing at his hand and tugging.

“Okay, okay,” Prompto said, letting Noctis pull him for a few steps before he took his hand back. “Well, I reserve the right to annoy you into going back to your place if I don’t like it up there.”

Noctis paused at the roof access door. “Do you ever not reserve the right to annoy me? It’s kind of part of the package, isn’t it?”

“I think this is reverse psychology,” Prompto mused, pulling his coat closed as they stepped out onto the roof. “Well, it’s not going to work, I tell you.”

“Fireworks should be starting in fifteen minutes,” Noctis said, glancing down at his watch. His scarf fluttered in the breeze as they crossed the deck.

“Wow,” Prompto said, catching up to him. “The night’s gone by so fast.”

Noctis fished a beer out of the bucket of ice and held it out to Prompto. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Prompto pulled at his tab and waited for Noctis to open his. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” Noctis said, raising his beer. He took a long swig, draining about a third of the can, before lowering his hand and looking at Prompto.

“Hmm.” Prompto pressed his lips together and looked down at Noctis’s fist. “You’re technically breaking the law right now, Your Highness. What would dear old dad say?”

Noctis rolled his eyes. “Probably, ‘Alcohol will impair your ability to maintain The Wall!’ Then he’d call Ignis over and chew him out for letting me do something so debauched.”

“He got these for you?”

“Nah, Gladio did.” Noctis eased back against the railing and took another sip. “I tricked him into it by saying he’d owe me a favor if I beat one of my training records.”

“You know I could have just bought it, right?” Prompto laughed and took another, longer drink.

“But you’re my guest,” Noctis said, frowning. “Also, it’s so weird that you’re older than me.”

“It’s because I was born in late October,” Prompto said. “So, I got sorted into your year, even though you turn eighteen way later than me.”

“Huh.” Noctis finished his can and placed it carefully on the table. “You want another one?”

“Still going on this one.” Prompto watched him as he pulled another beer from the ice. “Why’re you chugging?”

“I’m not chugging. Most people just aren’t lightweights like you.” Noctis pulled at the tab and brought the can to his mouth quickly.

“Whatever you say,” Prompto said. He drained the rest of his beer and set it down on the table; it wobbled underneath his hand. “Uh, am I drunk already or is this table moving?”

“One of its legs is bad,” Noctis said, sounding more flustered than he’d intended. “And I don’t think even you could get drunk off one beer.”

“I don’t know,” Prompto said, unwinding his scarf and dropping it to the table. “I feel kind of warm already.”

“Go on,” Noctis said, flicking his chin at the bucket. “We gotta drink them all. I don’t want Iggy to find them when he comes over tomorrow.”

Prompto opened another beer and sipped slowly. “Okay, but no compromising photos if I get blackout drunk.”

“That’s more your style.” Noctis glanced at Prompto’s coat. “Did you bring your camera?”

“Yeah. You know, I love how big the pockets are in this.”

“Oh, I inventoried next year’s lenses at work yesterday,” Noctis said. “You should drop by after the holiday break’s over.”

“Will do.” Prompto walked up to Noctis and gazed over his shoulder.

“What?”

“Just looking at the skyline.” Prompto sipped his beer. “I like this view way more at night. Less scary.”

“This railing’s like shoulder-high. You’ll be fine.”

“It’s weird to see the Citadel from this high up,” Prompto said. “It looks like just another building.”

“It is.” Noctis turned to watch the lights of the city, resting his arms on the railing as he drained the rest of his beer. “It’s not even that nice inside.”

Prompto snorted. “Oh Noct. You just wouldn’t understand.”

Noctis glanced at him, waiting for him to continue, but Prompto remained silent, his eyes impassive.

“What’re Iggy and Gladio up to?” Prompto asked, returning his attention to his beer.

“Gladio’s with his girlfriend.” Noctis pushed himself away from the railing and walked to the table, setting his second can alongside the first and pulling a fresh one out of the bucket. “Ignis—I think he might be as well?”

“What, Iggy has a girl?”

“Dunno,” Noctis shrugged. “I usually have to work to get him out the door at the end of the night, but lately, he’s been leaving earlier than usual. And looking at his phone a lot when he’s cooking. He won’t tell me anything, though.”

“Huh.” Prompto tipped his beer can to his mouth. Noctis’s eyes flicked down, then up, following the motion of Prompto’s Adam’s apple as he swallowed.

“What?”

Noctis returned his eyes to Prompto’s and frowned. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You were looking at me funny, though.” Prompto set his can down on the tottering table and reached for his scarf, holding it out in front of him to measure two equal halves.

“I—was just realizing that you have a really long neck,” Noctis said. “It’s a little weird looking.”

Prompto snorted and threw his scarf loosely around his shoulders. “Well, we can’t all be perfectly proportioned in every way like you, I guess.”

“You—” Noctis lowered his beer from his mouth and averted his eyes. “You think that about me?”

“Noct,” Prompto said. “Come on, I was obviously joking. You seriously will go to insane lengths to dig for compliments.”

Noctis forced the air from his mouth and glared at Prompto. “You’re the one who’s talking about my body, you fruit.”

“What?” Prompto peered at Noctis, his jaw slack. “Why so mad, bro? You made fun of my neck first!”

A flash of light at the periphery of Noctis’s vision illuminated the left side of Prompto’s face. Noctis turned to see the first salvo of fireworks bursting open above the lonely spire of the Citadel.

“Hey!” Prompto grabbed his beer off the table and walked back to the edge of the roof. “It’s starting already! What time is it?”

Noctis shook his sleeve away from his wrist to glance at his watch. “11:43. They’re a little early.”

“Early’s better than late, I guess.” Prompto took a sip and rested his free hand on the metal railing.

“Hey,” Noctis said, stepping towards the railing and leaning against it tentatively. Prompto turned to look at him. “Sorry. You’re right, I did make fun of you first.”

The corner of Prompto’s mouth pulled into a faint dimple. “No biggie. I know my neck’s kind of long, anyway.”

“It’s not bad,” Noctis said, his eyes returning to it. “I mean, it doesn’t look weird or anything. It’s barely noticeable.”

Prompto furrowed his brow and opened his mouth slightly. A splash of vermilion lit his face for a fraction of a second as the next wave of fireworks scattered over the Insomnia skyline.

“I wonder if there’s much point in taking pictures,” Prompto mused. “It’s dark, and they’ll probably come out blurry as I get tipsier.”

“Might as well just enjoy the moment, then,” Noctis said. He hesitated, then reached out and rested his arm on Prompto’s shoulder, squeezing his upper arm for emphasis.

“Yeah,” Prompto murmured. He tilted his can sharply to drain the rest of his beer, then let his hand drop over the railing. “That’s pretty good advice.”

Noctis glanced up at the sky as a nebula of green and gold fireworks spread out under the clouds, a cactuar and a chocobo at the center.

“Wow,” Prompto said, his voice quiet.

“Yeah.” Noctis eased Prompto’s can out of his hand, then walked back to the table to get him another one.

“I guess I can have one more,” Prompto called back to him. “I’m feeling pretty good, actually.”

“See?” Noctis returned to the edge of the roof and handed him a beer, then rested against the railing, his arm flush with Prompto’s. “Don’t let the seventeen-year-old embarrass you.”

Prompto chuckled and pulled at the tab. “At least we’re the only ones here if you do.”

“It’s kind of nice,” Noctis said slowly. “Isn’t it?”

“Yeah, the fireworks are great from up here.” Prompto tilted his chin up to watch the sky; the show was building towards its midnight finale.

“I meant—never mind.” Noctis shook his head and looked down at the reflected light in the top of his beer can.

“Thanks for the surprise,” Prompto said, turning to him. “This is way more memorable than watching it on the TV in your living room.”

Noctis smiled and sipped his beer, then slid his hand around Prompto’s shoulder again. They both looked up as a long series of fireworks projected a map of the world onto the clouds.

“Man.” Prompto giggled and looked down at his can.

“What?”

“Ah, I was just thinking that this moment would be pretty romantic with a girl.” He lifted his beer and took a long draft, hiding his face from Noctis.

“I guess so,” Noctis said, looking down. He slowly dropped his hand from Prompto’s back, returning it to his side.

Prompto snorted. “Aren’t you supposed to kiss someone at midnight?”

“Um,” Noctis said. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

“Yeah, very funny.” Prompto drained his beer, then pivoted on his heel. He dropped the empty can onto the table and pawed around in the bucket. “Maybe one more.”

“Whoa, you’re ahead of me,” Noctis said. He threw his empty can into the bucket.

“Here,” Prompto said, holding out the last beer. “Cheers, Noct.”

“Cheers, Prom.” Noctis gulped down the first half of the can, then looked at his watch. “Only a couple minutes now.”

Prompto walked back to the railing and stood next to Noctis. Noctis turned to look at his lips.

“Have you ever kissed anyone at midnight on New Year’s, Prom?” Noctis said, as casually as he could manage.

“No,” Prompto said slowly. “Have you?”

“Nah.”

“Really?” Prompto turned to him, his blond hair glowing in the white light of the penultimate fireworks display. “Girls are always hitting on you, though.”

“I don’t know why,” Noctis said. He glanced down at his watch, his chest feeling suddenly light and still. _11:59_.

Prompto sipped his beer. “Oh well. One day, buddy.”

“I—I don’t know why I haven’t,” Noctis sputtered. “I want to. Especially before I’m eighteen. I think it’d be really, um, nice.”

The Citadel’s tower rang out the first bells of midnight. A dim cheer rose up from the streets of Insomnia’s downtown, its bars and restaurants, its balconies and rooftops. A storm of blue and violet fireworks spelling out _754_ , the new year, moved in above them.

“Sheesh,” Prompto said. Noctis felt Prompto’s hand pushing down on his shoulder, then Prompto’s lips on his cheek, hot and wet.

“Ah!” Noctis said. He turned to face Prompto, his face deep red in the half-light. “What was that?”

“What do you think it was?” Prompto burst out laughing, then tilted back his chin to pour the rest of his beer down his throat.

Noctis peered at him. “You’re—you’re drunk, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” Prompto said, shrugging. “Don’t pretend like you weren’t dropping hints, though. ‘Before I’m eighteen,’ really?”

“I never said that,” Noctis lied.

“Uh-huh.” Prompto dropped his can into the bucket and stretched his arms behind him. “Well, dude, you got your kiss. Sorry I’m not a girl, but, hey, at least you can say it happened.”

Noctis watched as Prompto threw the rest of the empty cans into the bucket. He lifted his beer to his mouth, finishing it while thinking of what to say next.

“Done?” Prompto was saying. He held out his hand to Noctis.

“Oh, yeah.” Noctis gave him the can, then stepped towards him. “Um, about that.”

Prompto grunted and picked up the bucket. He glanced at Noctis when he didn’t continue.

“Well, thanks? I guess?” Noctis scratched the back of his neck. “Actually, that isn’t right. Thanks. Just thanks.”

Prompto winked and started walking. “What are friends for?”

“Hey,” Noctis said, following him across the roof. “At least it’s a funny story to look back on.”

“We probably don’t want to tell anyone about it,” Prompto remarked, as Noctis opened the door for him. “That’s how rumors get started.”

“People always talk about me,” Noctis said. He pulled his keys out of his pocket as they reached the elevator. “I don’t care what they say.”

“Uh, I do!” Prompto elbowed him gently as Noctis pressed the number for his floor. “You don’t have to make my luck with the ladies even worse than it already is by getting people to think I’m gay or something.”

“Should have thought about that before you kissed me,” Noctis said, sticking out his tongue.

Prompto sighed. “This is what I get for trying to do something nice.”

“Don’t worry,” Noctis said, pushing himself towards the door as the elevator stopped. “It’ll be our little secret.”

A wave of warmth hit them as Noctis unlocked his apartment door. He flicked the lights on and held the door open for Prompto.

“Ah,” Prompto said, stopping in his tracks and throwing his head back. He closed his eyes and smiled as Noctis watched him hungrily. “I love how warm you keep your place.”

“Oh yeah.” Noctis slipped out of his shoes and padded across the hardwood to the kitchen counter. “Your folks still don’t like turning the heating on, huh?”

“That’s never gonna change,” Prompto said, placing the bucket in the sink and carrying the cans to the recycling bin. “It’s why I love staying over here in the winter so much.”

“Not the gourmet meals, every video game in existence, my massive feather bed?”

“Check, check and, uh, that sounds kind of weird, but check.”

Noctis shrugged his coat off and laid it on one of the barstools, then walked into the living room. “You want to play something? Or watch TV?”

“Eh. Maybe we can watch something in your room. I’m kind of tired already.” Prompto yawned, then staggered.

“Prom?” Noctis walked back to the kitchen and grabbed his shoulder.

“It’s nothing. Just tired. And a little happy.”

“Yeah, four beers in half an hour can do that.” Noctis turned him to the sink and poured him a glass of water. “Drink that. I’ll go get some pajamas for you.”

Prompto patted his arm, clinging to him as he walked off.

“Drink the water,” Noctis said. He turned back to the hallway, stumbling as he reached the door to his bedroom. He exhaled loudly and flipped his lights on, then walked to his closet.

“Damn it,” Noctis grumbled, bending over to search through the shelves. “Why does Ignis always put things in a different place from where I tell him?” The size of the closet and Noctis’s monochromatic wardrobe stymied his attempts to find an extra set of pajamas.

“Dude, what are you doing in the closet?” Prompto’s voice was hoarse and slightly slurred. “Are you hiding?”

Noctis turned and looked up at the door. “What?”

“In the closet?” Prompto closed his eyes and shook his head.

“I’m looking for pajamas for you,” Noctis said quietly. He balled his fist underneath him. “I already told you that.”

“It’s fine,” Prompto said, walking towards Noctis’s bed. He sat at the edge of it and fell back into the black duvet. “Let’s just crash.”

“Go brush your teeth,” Noctis said, standing up and turning off the closet light. “Don’t be gross.”

Prompto erupted into a fit of giggles and stretched his arms out on the bed.

“What?” Noctis frowned at him, then pulled off his slacks and began unbuttoning his shirt.

“You,” Prompto said. “You’re acting like Ignis.” He wrapped his arms around his chest, his body convulsing in another laughing fit.

Noctis slipped his pajama top over his head and pulled it down to his waist. “Yeah, it’s hilarious.” He walked over to his bed and pulled at Prompto’s hand. “Come on, let’s brush your teeth.”

“Okay, okay,” Prompto said, yanking his hand away and throwing himself up from the bed. “I can do it, you know.”

“Sure you can,” Noctis said, watching him walk uneasily to the bathroom. He followed him in, then moved past him to the other basin and began to brush his teeth.

“Noct,” Prompto said, once he had spit.

Noctis turned and looked at him in the mirror. “Yeah, Prom?”

“Oh, uh.” Prompto blushed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I forgot.”

“Okay,” Noctis said, watching him leave the bathroom. When Prompto reached the center of the bedroom, he pulled off his jeans and socks, stumbling, then slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

Noctis rinsed the sink, then closed the bathroom door. He lifted the toilet seat and began urinating, pushing down on his half-hard cock. As he shook out the last drops, he stroked his thumb along his foreskin.

 _Don’t be such a creep_.

“We’re friends,” Noctis said out loud, shoving his cock back into his pajamas. He flushed the toilet and looked up at the mirror. “Okay?”

He washed his hands quickly, then opened the bathroom door. Prompto was already under the covers, watching a cooking tournament on TV.

“Oh, cool,” Noctis said, sliding into the other side of the bed. “What’s the theme tonight?”

“Garlic,” Prompto said, handing Noctis the remote.

Noctis placed the remote on the nightstand and snorted. “Watch them try to make desserts with garlic.”

“Oh, one of them already is,” Prompto said. “He’s making garlic ice cream.”

“You’re shitting me,” Noctis said, looking down at him.

“Nope. The commentary people were going wild about it while you were in the bathroom.”

Noctis slid down into the covers and turned off the lights. “I might have to stay awake for this episode.”

Prompto sighed sleepily and snuggled into his pillow. Noctis turned onto his side to face him. Prompto’s eyes were heavy-lidded, his lips slightly parted; just as Noctis thought he might have fallen asleep, Prompto reached up to shove his blond fringe away from his face and rub his nose. Noctis smiled, watching him in the television screen’s faint kaleidoscope of colors.

“Noct,” Prompto murmured.

Noctis tilted his chin forward and blinked, his heart thundering against his ribs. The gap between them under the sheets may as well have been The Wall of Insomnia for all the power Noctis felt he had to cross it.

“Yeah, Prom?”

“Happy New Year.” Prompto eased his head into his pillow, his breaths slowing.

“Happy New Year,” Noctis said, swallowing a pang of longing. He momentarily lifted his gaze to the television before closing his eyes, feeling like he could only fall asleep if it held off the silence.


End file.
